Lot 1200
Judaea, Bar Kokhba Revolt. Æ Large Bronze (24.46 g), 132-135 CE. Year 1 (132/3 CE). 'Simon, Prince of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew) within wreath. Reverse: 'Year one of the redemption of Israel' (Paleo-Hebrew), amphora with two handles. Hendin 1376; Mildenberg 8.1 (O2/R3; this coin); TJC 220b. Very Rare - only eight specimens cited by Mildenberg. Nicely centered for this rare issue. Uniform dark brown patina. About Very Fine. Estimate Value $4,000 - 5,000
Ex NFA VIII (6 June 1980), 350; Ex Biblical Numismatic Society, purchase 1980.
This variety of the large bronze denomination of the first year of the Bar Kokhba War is notable for its obverse paleo-Hebrew legend which does not name Jerusalem within the wreath anymore, but rather Simon [bar Kokhba] as nasi (president) of Israel. Although nasi is sometimes translated as "prince" rather than "president," it almost certainly refers to Simon bar Kokhba's role as the leader of the Great Sanhedrin (the Jewish religious assembly that originally held court in the Jerusalem Temple before its destruction). The title of nasi was also held by the Hasmonaean High Priest John Hyrcanus I (134-104 BC), who engineered full autonomy for Judaea and who also struck coins featuring a wreathed legend on the obverse.
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| Realized $4,080 |
